Apparatus for locating places on maps



H. GEYER 1,965,337

APPARATUS FOR LOCATING PLACES ON MAPS July 3, 1934.

Filed May 25. 1929' I BROWN C0 75-42. I y

W NESS= M CONWAY 60 79-10 rm n EyEr Humsous 90-12 I HILTON MILK 92. y

-' ATTORNEY Patented July 3, 1934 1 v iJNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,965,337 APPARATUS FOR LOCATING PLACES ON MAPS Herman Geyer, Camden, N. J. Application May 25, 1929, Serial No. 365,863 3 Claims. (01. 33-1) The present invention relates to maps, plans names of places in the directory and occurring on and the like and particularly to the locating of the associated map. points on said maps, plans, etc. Referring to the drawing in detail by refer- An object of the invention is to facilitate the ence characters, A designates a plan or map and locating of points and places on a map, plan or B and C are co-ordinates running at right angles 69 the like. marginally of the map and, as shown, having Another object is to provide instrumentalities lines at regular intervals extending therefrom for locating points on a map or plan which are and dividing the map into a number of squares, simple in construction and in operation. the ends of these lines being designated by nu- The above objects are accomplished by promerals as shown, running from zero to OA across viding co-ordinates from which lines imaginary the top margin and from zero to 110 along one or real run, crossing at or near the location of side margin (Fig. 1). It Will be understood that the points and places on a map or plan, and dithe series of numbers may continue indefinitely viding the map into regions; said crossing lines in both directions but it is preferable to have a having a number associated therewith constitutplurality of series of numbers running from zero 9' ing one of a pair of digits which are associated to nine along the top margin, the successive series in a catalogue or directory with the names or being given successive letters of the alphabet as designations of the various places or points. a designation.

In cases of a large map or plan with a com- To locate a square of a given number therefore, plication of details thereon, the map or plan may say square 44, one would find 40 on the side marbe divided into squares located by numbers or 00- gin and 4 on the top margin and the crossing of ordinates and each square may be similarly sublines running from these numbers will locate the divided by av key square which may be in the square. These two numerals may be associated nature of a square of the dimensions of any one with the name of the place located within this of the squares of the map subdivided into equal square in a directory or catalogue, as indicated at parts, say one hundred, which square may be D in Figure 4 of the drawing. printed on the p or ma be located on a sepa- To more definitely located a place lying within rate sheet or the subdividing of the squares may this square, say a village, or if the map is of a be c mplished by a k y squ r in h n ur of city or a place of business, the squares may be an instrument hav an -S D portion to b further subdivided into a number of parts, say placed with the legs on two Sides of th qu one hundred, and the placesv in the subdivisions andav digits making p a $800116. numb given a second number of at least two digits which associated with the names or designations of di it are maced t t marginal ends of cmorplaces and p in n the catalogue r ir r dinates crossing adjacent the places within the .7 The instrument may be further p d d With large squares and locating the places in question a q a to be p d v d n id n w with such definiteness as to make it a simple matt Square of the This Square of the ter to quickly find the place or point in question. strument may have lines therefm crossing at 9 These second numbers are also associated in near the point or Place to wmch they relate m the catalogue or directory with the names of 1 Catalogueplaces to which they relate in any suitable mangg iggg g 'ifg g fi gg g z gggggfi her, for example, separating this second number drawing illustrative of the principles hereinbefrom the first by a hyphen or as at E1 (Flgs fore laid down a sub to the first number. i

The numerals constituting the digits of the r In the drawin Figure 1 is agmap or plan laid ff in Squares second or square numbers may be located on a s shown at F on the margin of the and marginally numbered in accordance with the key i i a principles of the invention, p, (F g- 1) or they may be inscribed margin- Figure 2 is an enlarged fragment of this map y 0f alley Square in the nature o an instrument 50'; showing a place finding instrument applied to G,Wh h1 m y l a place finder (see Fig. 3) one of the squares, and which may be comprised of an L-shaped Figure 3 shows a form of the instrument per se, member having two legs t right g s to each and other adapted to be positioned marginally of the Figure 4 is a fragment of a directory showing squares of a given map and which is provided '55? the association of the location numbers with along each leg Wi h numerals Consisting 0f gi 0 of the second or square location number for places within a square on the map.

This instrument may also be provided with a square H equal in area to the squares on the map and adapted to be placed over the map squares, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. One of the instruments G will be provided with each map and made to correspond in dimensions to the scale of the map and to the size of the squares, and may be of celluloid or other transparent material, or may be opaque with holes therein aligned in rows with the marginal numerals, as at I and the legs of the L-shaped members may be provided with extensions J as guides for properly positioning the square of the instrument on the square of the map. The instrument may also be of transparent material with the addition of perforations as described and/or may have score lines K running from the marginal numerals transversely of the square subdividing the instrument into squares.

In the use of the system and instrumentalities set forth above in finding a point on a plan or a place on a map, the user of the same first turns to the directory or catalogue and finds the location number D (Fig. 4) of the place, supposing the marginal numbers are arranged as in Figure 1 of the drawing and the square location number is 44; then 40 will be found on the left margin and 4 at the top of the map and the crossing of lines on opposite sides of these numbers will define the square 44 on the map.

If the map has few details this will be sufiicient and the place may be readily located. But if the map is large or has a great complication of details, the finding of a given place will be facilitated by further subdividing the square of the map. This may be done in any of the above described ways. It is my intention, however, not to have these squares permanently subdivided as this still further complicates a map. The second or square location number may be used in locating the place within the square and supposing the place is at 32 Within square 44:. The searcher (see Fig. 3) will find 30 on the left margin and 2 at the bottom of the instrument constructed as shown.

The location numbers may be associated in the directory with the name of the place, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, or one of the location numbers may be of one color and the other of another color. It is also possible Within the purview of the invention to use maps of diiferent scale sizes of the same locality in conjunction with each other in locating places, as a small desk map for use in locating the position of the squares and certain places and a wall map for use in locating more obscure places within the square. In this case where instruments of the above character are to be used in connection with the maps, there will of necessity be one for each of the two companion maps. It is also apparent from the above description that the system may be extended to three or more maps where greater and greater areas are to be covered.

The principle may be used in locating any place regardless of its importance or size on a small map by use of the location numbers in the directory associated with such names and the place finder proportional to the small map in connection therewith.

The system is eminently applicable to city maps but may be also applied to maps of all sorts and with plans which, in effect, are also maps.

Also,v numerous other modifications and variations of the principles as laid down above may be resorted towithin: the scope of the invention as hereinbefore set forth and hereinafter claimed.

What I claim iszr 1. A place finder to be used in connection with the location of places on a map'having transverse lines dividing the map into uniform squares, comprising an L-shaped member, the legs of which are at right angles to each other, said legs having numerals thereon spaced apart at regular intervals, and a square plate corresponding to one of the squares attached to the legs of the member and having rows of perforations therein aligned with the various numerals.

2. A place finder to be used in connection with the location of places on a map having uniformly placed lines forming uniform geometrical fig ures, comprising a member having legs which correspond to the angularity of the figures, said legs having numerals thereon spaced apart at regular intervals, and a reticulated square acl' joining the member and having the reticulations coordinated with the numerals.

3. A device for use in locatinga point upona map or the like between the usual squares or like figures formed by the usual longitudinal, latitu dinal lines thereon, comprising a plate of an area substantially equivalent to the area of one square of the map, said plate having a multiplicity of crossed markings corresponding to the said longitudinal and latitudinal lines for the purpose of dividing a map square into smaller similar units, and indicia associated with said crossed markings to facilitate location of a point in such selected square with reference to the maps data,-

I-IERMAN GEYER. 

